The Lore of Death
The Lore of Death is the magic of mortality, endings, and the passage of time. It is based on manipulation of Shyish, the Purple Wind of Magic. Magisters of this lore are known as Amethyst Wizards and they are rightly feared. While often conflated with Necromancers, Amethyst Wizards are quite distinct. They embrace the natural ending of all things, whereas Necromancers seek to conquer death with the darkest of magics. As they grow in power, Amethyst Wizards grow more silent, though not grim. The breath of the grave follows them, and even the fattest turns to lean; however they retain a wicked wit and respect for life. Lore Skill: Intimidate Deathsight Casting Number: 5 Casting Time: Full action Ingredient: A handful of dirt from a grave (+1) Description: For 1 hour you can see spirits and souls that are normally invisible to the naked eye. When living beings die, you can see their souls leaving their bodies. Swift PassIng Casting Number: 7 Casting Time: Half action Ingredient: Two brass pennies (+1) Description: With a touch of your fingers, you can dispatch a critically wounded character. Swift passing kills any character with 0 Wounds who has already taken a Critical Hit. This is a touch spell. This spell works on monsters, animals or even PCs. Souls dispatched in this way are immune to spells such as final words but still remain at risk of Necromantic resurrection. ReapIng Scythe Casting Number: 8 Casting Time: Half action Ingredient: A miniature iron scythe (+1) Description: A scythe of Amethyst energy materializes in your grasp. It counts as a magic weapon with the Fast Quality and Damage 5 and you gain a +10% bonus to your Weapon Skill when wielding it. The spell remains in effect for a number of rounds equal to your Magic Characteristic. You can retain it with a successful Will Power Test each round thereafter. TIde of years Casting Number: 11 Casting Time: Half action Ingredient: A small hourglass (+2) Description: You cause one non-magical item with an Encumbrance of 75 or less to age and decay. Items of Poor or Common Quality turn to dust. Items of Good Quality become Poor and those of Best Craftmenship become Common. See Chapter 5: Equipment for the Encumbrance of common items and details on Craftsmanship. This is a touch spell. Acceptance of Fate Casting Number: 14 Casting Time: 1 full action and 1 half action Ingredient: A coffin nail (+2) Description: This spell causes your allies to temporarily put aside their fear of death. For 1 minute (6 rounds), you and all your allies within 12 yards (6 squares) count as having the Fearless talent. Steal Life Casting Number: 16 Casting Time: Half action Ingredient: A vial of blood (+2) Description: You suck the life essence of a foe within 12 yards (6 squares) of you and use it to heal yourself. The target loses 1d10 Wounds, regardless of Toughness Bonus or armour, unless a successful Will Power Test is made. You are healed of as many Wounds as you inflict. If you already have your full amount of Wounds, you don’t gain any more (though the target is still damaged). Steal life has no effect on Daemons and the Undead. Final Words Casting Number: 18 Casting Time: Full action Ingredient: A piece of vellum (+2) Description: You can ask one question of the departing soul of a slain character within 12 yards (6 squares) of you. This must be done within 1 minute (6 rounds) of the character’s death or the soul will have already passed on to the realm of Morr. The soul is not compelled to answer truthfully (or at all, for that matter). Final words cannot be cast on creatures without souls, like Daemons and the Undead. Death’s Door Casting Number: 20 Casting Time: Full action Ingredient: A vial of embalming fluid (+2) Description: Your power over death is such that you can briefly delay the inevitable. Death’s door lasts a number of minutes equal to your Magic Characteristic and affects you and all your allies within 24 yards (12 squares). Those affected, if slain during the spell’s duration, can take a half action on their normal Initiative before dying. As soon as the action is resolved, death beckons. Youth’s Bane Casting Number: 23 Casting Time: Full action Ingredient: A cutting of ivy from the grave of a Priest (+3) Description: You cause one character within 12 yards (6 squares) to age years in a matter of seconds. The target must make a successful Will Power Test or permanently lose 1d10% from his Strength and Toughness Characteristics. Whilst it affects animals, youth’s bane has no effect on Daemons and the Undead. Similarly, it has no effect on items Wind of Death Casting Number: 27 Casting Time: Full action Ingredient: An amethyst worth at least 50 gc (+3) Description: You call down a lethal wind of Shyish anywhere within 48 yards (24 squares). Use the large template. Those affected lose 1d10 Wounds, regardless of Toughness Bonus or armour. Due to the cataclysmic nature of this conjuration, all Wizards within a 5-mile radius are aware of the disturbance in the Aethyr that this spell causes. The Lords of the Amethyst Order have many cruel and unusual punishments for those that tarry with this spell needlessly, or too often.